Guardians of the shore

When the sun rises over the beaches of Isle of Palms and Sullivan’s Island, most people are still tucked in their beds.

 

But for a dedicated team of volunteers, this is the start of another patrol – a quiet, purposeful march along the shore to check for turtle tracks and nests.

 

With a keen eye and a shared passion for conservation, these volunteers, many of whom call Daniel Island home, dedicate their mornings to protecting some of the world’s most ancient mariners: loggerhead sea turtles.

Meet the Island Turtle Team, a spirited group of conservationists who have been patrolling the beaches for over 25 years, safeguarding sea turtle nests and educating the community about these remarkable creatures.

 

Partnering with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, they monitor and protect nesting sites of loggerhead sea turtles, South Carolina’s state reptile. The team consists of around 180 dedicated volunteers, including many from Daniel Island, who patrol the beaches at sunrise from May through August – the peak nesting season.

 

For some, like Daniel Island resident Kerrie Scott, turtle patrol is both a passion and a family tradition.

 

“I’ve been on the Turtle Team for over 16 years now,” Scott said. “I was intrigued by loggerheads and their unique nesting habits, and I love the beach. When my kids were younger, I used to haul all three out with the promise of Dunkin’ Donuts afterward! Plus, my dogs absolutely love running on the beach. They get so excited every Thursday morning!”

 

Scott’s dedication is a reflection of the passion shared by the entire team. For these volunteers, each patrol is more than just a beach walk – it’s a mission to safeguard loggerhead sea turtles.

 

PROTECT AND PRESERVE

At sunrise, Turtle Team members fan out across the shore, each covering a three-mile stretch to search for the large, telltale tracks of nesting turtles.

 

“Our group covers Stations 9 through 30 on Isle of Palms,” Scott said. “We arrive just before 6 a.m. looking for loggerhead tracks that come ashore and attempt to nest.”

 

When tracks are found, the excitement kicks in.

 

Typically, there are two sets: an entrance and an exit, marked by a body pit where the mother dug her nest. The turtle’s labor-intensive nesting process can result in more than 120 eggs buried deep in the sand. If the nest is too close to the tide line or in a vulnerable spot, the team carefully relocates it to a safer area.

 

“We call our stretch the ‘Hotel Loggerhead’ because most nests are relocated around Station 25 on IOP,” Scott said.

 

Each nest is then marked with an orange sign and covered with a predator-proof screen to protect against coyotes, crabs, and raccoons.

 

“Volunteers on patrol investigate and locate the eggs hidden under the sand,” Mary Pringle, the team’s project leader, said. “They determine if the nest is in a safe place or not, and carefully relocate the eggs if the nest is in danger where it is laid. Each nest is marked with an orange SCDNR sign.”

 

After about 45 days of nesting, Scott says the real thrill comes when the nest begins to “boil” – a term for the chaotic hatching process – when hundreds of tiny turtles scramble out of the sand and head to the ocean, which makes for memorable moments.

 

“One morning, when we discovered an active turtle nesting, we needed to leash our dogs and tie them to a post so we could create a path for the mama to make it back to the water,” she said.

 

“Our dogs, who are used to running free on the beach, were going absolutely crazy! It was fascinating to watch the speed and effort of the giant loggerhead turtle. These mamas worked so hard.” 

 

As citizen scientists, these volunteers aren’t just patrolling; they are gathering critical data. Turtle Team members collect valuable data for the Department of Natural Resources. One egg from each nest is sent to researchers for DNA testing, sometimes revealing fascinating insights: turtles may nest multiple times in one season and often return to the same region, but not necessarily the same beach.

 

Numbers tell a hopeful story

In 2024, the team recorded 60 nests with an 88 percent hatch success rate. “There were 7,287 eggs laid, most of which hatched and made it to the ocean,” Pringle said.

 

The Island Turtle Team is one of 54 permitted nesting programs in the state, directed by SCDNR. The team’s 180 volunteers are responsible for locating and marking nests, and their work plays a vital role in the recovery of this endangered species.

 

“After a downward trend until the early 1990s, the sea turtle population is slowly recovering,” Pringle said. 

 

“It’s a slow process because it takes about 25 to 30 years for each loggerhead to reach maturity, but our efforts and the work of similar programs worldwide are making a difference.”

 

While the turtles are the stars of the show, the turtle team is a close-knit group of passionate volunteers. Scott says the patrol has grown to include her sister and friends from Daniel Island, including Kelly Cobb, Pam Bridges, and Kelly Lenz. “We’re quite the entourage when all four of us and our dogs are out patrolling!”

 

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